For who could ever love a hideous beast?
by surfngurl
Summary: Beauty and the Beast...with my own little twist to it. Basically follows the Disney movie plot, but I add my own scenes. With Draco as Beast and Herm as Belle...duh!
1. Prologue

**_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter OR Beauty and the Beast...but I do own the movies...Does that count?  :D_**

****

_A/N: There may be some differences between this story and the Beauty and the Beast story line from the Disney movie...I may add some of my own *scenes*..._

****

**_~*~Prologue~*~_**

****

A young man lived in a beautiful mansion located in the rolling hills of France.  He had everything a man could ever want...money, power, good looks...but the one thing he did not have was love.  There were rumors throughout the land that he was uncapable of the emotion of love.  He was a harsh and cruel man...and his loneliness only fueled his temper.

One evening a haggered old woman appeared at his door step, asking simply for food and a place to spend the night.  Repulsed by her ugliness, the young man refused to give her anything.  But she simply asked again...and for the second time, he refused her.  Suddenly, right before his eyes, the old woman transfigured into a beautiful young woman.  The young man sank to his knees and begged her forgiveness...but it was too late for that.  The young woman placed a spell on him and the household, and the spell could only be broken when he learned to love and was loved in return.  If he could not learn to love by his twenty-first birthday, the spell would remain permanent.

The young man was transfigured into a hideous beast and all his servants and workers in the house became enchanted as well.  The mansion was transformed into a dark and looming castle.  The beast sank further and further into loneliness...knowing that the spell would never be broken.  For who could ever love a hideous beast?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Whoo__ hoo!!  I'm really excited about this story.  I've read a lot of Beauty and the Beast stories...and it's also one of my favorite Disney movies.  This is the second story that I've written for ff.net.  My first story is __Muggle__College__...it is not complete...still a work in progress.    Go read it!!  And remember to R/R!!  Thanks!!  ~surfngurl~_


	2. Chapter One

**_DISCLAIMER: Again...I do not own any of this...even portions of the plot are not mine...aaaaaahhhhhhh...*runs around like a mad-woman*_**

****

**_~*~Chapter One~*~_**

****

A young woman by the name of Hermione strolled through the small village in France.  She thought about how every day was exactly the same...nothing ever changed in this small town.  She was ready for something new...but deep down she knew that nothing would ever change.  So she continued on her way...greeting everyone she met.

Unbeknownst to her, every person in the town saw her as the odd bird.  She was the girl who always had her nose in a book...yet she was the most beautiful young woman in the town.  Young men would gawk at her...and the women of the town would gossip.  But Hermione knew nothing of any of this.  She viewed herself as a normal young woman with a thirst for knowledge.  Reading was her biggest love in life and she definitely preferred books to men...for she could never find a man with even half a brain in this town.  She wanted someone who would cuddle up with her, content with reading and talking.

Her thoughts drifted as she walked in to the local bookstore.

"Bonjour mademoiselle Hermione."

"Bonjour.  I brought the book back that I borrowed."

"But it's only been three days!"

"I just couldn't put it down!  Do you have anything new today?"

"No...haven't gotten anything new within the past week."

"Alright...well...I'll just borrow..._this one!"_

"But you just brought that one back last week."

"I know, but I just love it so much.  Handsome princes, daring sword fights, and the thought of true love."

"If you love it that much, you may keep it."

"Do you mean it?  Thank you so much!"

Hermione left the bookstore and headed back towards her house.  Her father was an inventor and he was going to go to a fair tomorrow.  She was sure that her father would win first place...she always had great faith in her father.  One day her father would become famous...and maybe then she could leave this small town and travel.

When she arrived home, she heard a tremendous crash and black smoke billowing out from the basement.  She ran to the cellar doors, hoping that her father would not be hurt.  She found him kicking his latest invention and mumbling that it would never work.

"You must have more faith in yourself, father.  It will work...you'll figure it out."

"Thank you, Hermione.  Did you get anything interesting in town today?"

"Oh, the kind book keeper gave me one of his books...it's my favorite!"

"That's great dear."

Her father turned back on his invention and Hermione headed back upstairs, her head buried in the book...lost in the story...hoping for an adventure of her own...someday...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I'm working quickly to get to some Draco (beast) / Hermione action...hehehe...that's when the fun begins!!  Remember to R/R...Thanks!  ~surfngurl~_


	3. Chapter Two

**_DISCLAIMER: Nope...still not mine..._**

****

**_~*~Chapter Two~*~_**

****

The next day, Hermione's father headed off for the science fair after putting the finishing touches on his invention.  Hermione decided to go for a stroll in to town.  It was like any other day, greeting everyone she met.  She passed by the local tavern, only to see the most arrogant man in town, Gaston.  She prayed that he hadn't seen her and continued on her walk.  But her prayers were not answered as she heard her name called.

"Oh Hermione!  Could I speak with you a moment?"

"Of course, Gaston."  She spoke with as much feeling as possible and forced a smile to her face.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard the rumors spreading through the town like wild-fire.  And I thought it was time that we should act accordingly."

"What rumors?"

"Oh Hermione...the rumors that we should be together...as a couple.  Can't you picture it??  Me coming in with my latest kill and my darling wife massaging my feet...while the little one's play with the dogs.  We'll have five or six."

"Dogs?"

"No...strapping young boys...like me."

"Oh Gaston, as wonderful as that sounds, I'm going to have to refuse your offer.  Good Day!"  And with that, Hermione shoved her way past Gaston and headed back towards her home.

Gaston stood there thinking to himself, 'No one turns Gaston down...especially some book worm beauty like Hermione.  She will be mine!'

_~*~Meanwhile...~*~_

Hermione's father, Maurice, came upon a fork in the road.  Staring at it for a minute or so, he chose a path and tried to continue on his way.  But his horse, Philippe, had a different notion.  Philippe looked from path to path and wanted to take the path that was well lit.  But Maurice wanted to go down the dark, foreboding path...and in the end of their small _battle_, Maurice and Philippe continued their travels down the darker path.

Suddenly a menacing howl was heard, and Philippe became frightened and bucked up...throwing Maurice and his invention off of him.  Philippe instantly took off at full run and Maurice was left alone.  He looked up to see himself in front of some large iron gates that led to a great castle.  He looked behind him only to see a pack of wolves running straight towards him.  He called through the castle gates for help, wondering if anyone could hear him at all.  Suddenly the gates opened up and Maurice scrambled through and closed them back quickly.

As he entered the castle, he wondered if it had any inhabitants at all.  He called out, and heard a voice answer back.  But looking around, he saw no one...there was nothing except for a candle and a clock.  He went to pick up the candle for light, and suddenly a voice called out.  He looked for where the voice was coming from...only to discover that it was coming from the candle.  He asked how it was possible, and the candle only led him to a grand living room and set him down.  Instantly a foot stool came running in, barking like a dog...and then a tray of tea was at his side.  He only sat in wonder, trying to figure out how all these things could move and talk.

Suddenly a cold chill swept through the room, and blew the fire out.  All the enchanted objects fled from the room and Maurice sat in silence, hoping that whatever it was wouldn't find him.  Suddenly there was a fearsome face in front of him and dragged him to his feet and took him away.  As he was thrown into a dungeon room, he heard the fearsome voice...

"No one dares come in to the castle of a beast..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Remember to read and review...there will be more coming soon.  ~surfngurl~_


End file.
